Belize student tops CSEC for first time

Press Release - October 27, 2010 - BRIDGETOWN, Barbados- For the first time, a student from Belize is the Most Outstanding Candidate Overall in the Region in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) May/June examinations.

He is Dorien Villafranco of St John’s College in Belize City.

Dorien won the award for 2010 by achieving 15 Grade Is at one sitting. He achieved Grade I in Biology, Caribbean History, Chemistry, English A, English B, Information Technology, Integrated Science, Mathematics, Physics, Principles of Accounts, Religious Education, Social Studies, Spanish, Physical Education and Sport and Human and Social Biology.

Dorien achieved A on all is his Profile Grades, except in Caribbean History and Integrated Science in which he received one ‘B’ each.

She`niele Grant of Wolmers Girls’ School, Jamaica receives the award for the Most Outstanding Candidate in Business Education. She achieved Grade I in 11 subjects, including five business subjects with all A Profiles. The five business subjects are Economics, Information Technology, Office Administration, Principles of Accounts and Principles of Business. She`niele also achieved Grade I in Chemistry, English A, English B, Mathematics, Physics and Spanish.

Two other students from Jamaica have won CSEC awards. Ayala Bennett of Ardenne High School is the recipient of the award for the Most Outstanding Candidate in Humanities. Ayala achieved Grade I in 11 subjects including six Humanities subjects - Caribbean History, English B, French, Geography, Social Studies and Spanish. She also achieved Grade I in English A, Information Technology, Mathematics, and Human and Social Biology.

The other Jamaican student to receive a prize this year is Adrian Kellyman of Seaforth High School. Adrian wins the award for the Most Outstanding Performance in Visual Arts, 2-Dimensional work. Adrian produced a piece of work in the Imaginative Composition Section entitled “The City Dump.” The piece depicts various scenes and activities in a city dump.

The other Visual Arts award goes to Hemawati Lochansing, a student of Rio Claro West Secondary School, Trinidad and Tobago. Hemawati receives the award for the Most Outstanding Performance in Visual Arts, 3-Dimensional work. She designed and produced a container for saving coins. Using ceramics, the container was designed in the shape of a tree trunk with two iguanas looking over the opening for the coins.

Oliver Maynard of Presentation Boys’ College, Grenada receives the award for the Most Outstanding Candidate in Technical/Vocational Education. Oliver achieved Grade I in 10 subjects, Grade II in one subject and Grade III in one subject. He achieved Grade I in three Technical/Vocational subjects – Agricultural Science, Technical Drawing and Electrical and Electronic Technology. Oliver also achieved Grade I in Biology, Chemistry, English A, Information Technology, Mathematics, Physics and Principles of Business. He achieved Grade II in Caribbean History and Grade III in Spanish.

Navindra Baldeo of Queen’s College, Guyana wins the award for the Most Outstanding Candidate in Sciences. Navindra achieved 12 subjects at Grade I and one subject at Grade II. He achieved Grade I in six Science subjects – Agricultural Science, Biology, Chemistry, Information Technology, Integrated Science and Physics. He also achieved Grade I in English A, English B, Geography, Electronic Document Preparation and Management and Human and Social Biology, and Grade II in French.

The prize for the Best Short Story in the English A examination goes to Zoie Hamilton of Washington Archibald High School, St Kitts and Nevis.

Zoie’s story is entitled “Grasping Death” and is based on the stimulus: it was the middle of the mathematic class. Mrs. Taylor our teacher suddenly collapsed and sprawled unconscious on the floor. It was terrifying...

As a result of Dorien’s performance, St John’s College will receive the CSEC School of the Year award, a prize which was held by Queen’s College, Guyana for the last four consecutive years.

The awards was were approved last Thursday 21st October 2010 at the meeting of the Sub-Committee of the School Examinations Committee (SUBSEC) held at the Barbados Beach Club.

Awardees will receive their prizes at a ceremony scheduled for Turks and Caicos Islands on Thursday 2nd December 2010. The prize package includes a full scholarship to the University of the West Indies, monetary prizes, plaques and books.

National Emergency Management Organization issues Public Advisory

National Emergency Management Organization

“Preserving Life and Property”

DATE: Thursday, September 23, 2010 TIME: 12:00 pm

NEMO Public Advisory TD 15

Tropical Depression 15 forms over the South Central Caribbean Sea. Watches and warnings issued for portions of Central America. The center of Tropical Depression 15 is located near latitude 13.9 North, Longitude 76.2 West. The depression is moving toward the West near 15 MPH and this general motion is expected to continue for the next 48 hours. Maximum sustained winds are near 35 MPH with higher gusts with strengthening to occur. The Depression could become a Tropical Storm later tonight or Friday.

The public is being advised to be aware of the increased likelihood of further deteriorating weather conditions as Tropical Depression 15 nears our area over the weekend

NEMO advises people traveling to the Cayes and those along the coast to pay particular attention to sea conditions. The public is further advised to listen to their local radio and television stations for further advisories from the NEMO and the National Met Service.

NEMO is on high alert as it continues to monitor Tropical Depression 15. Please contact your NEMO District Coordinator for local information.

Caye Chapel, Belize among ten great Caribbean Golf Resorts

Forget the cold winds and spitting rain of Ballybunion and Bandon Dunes. Golfers who visit the Caribbean are willing to forsake a little history and tradition for a kinder and gentler climate. “Clients who consider the Caribbean are looking for an island golf experience,” said Matthew Diehl, marketing manager for Links Golf Travel [www.linksgolftravel.com]. “They want to play in the jungle, with views of the ocean and the mountains. They want to play along the coast, with palm trees swaying.”Amongst aficionados of golf course design, the Caribbean has not traditionally been viewed as a standout destination. This, simply because the sun and surf that make the islands so appealing on so many levels is hell to pay on turf grass. The challenges of growing and maintaining first-rate playing surfaces have historically discouraged many top-shelf designers and developers from doing adventurous work in the Caribbean. But in the last ten years, this has changed, with the introduction of a new turf hybrid — Seashore Paspalum. “Agronomic advances are making golf more viable on the islands,” said Brian McCallen, acclaimed golf travel writer. “The new hybrids require less than half the pesticides of earlier grasses, are salt tolerant, and can even be irrigated with brackish water. They’re low maintenance, they’re very playable, and their fueling a boom in new, high quality courses.”Among gorgeous golfing destinations, Caye Chapel [www.cayechapel.com] in Belize was chosen as one of the ten best.

Caye Chapel is the name of the island a short flight off the Belizean mainland that the golf course graces; in fact, most of this smallish caye is given over to the track, which moves north and south between saltwater ponds inhabited by tarpon and saltwater crocodiles. (Be VERY careful about retrieving errant shots!) The par-5 16th stretches 623 yards along the west side of the island, offering distant views of Ambergris Caye and the mainland.

Other destinations picked were: Punta Espada at Cap Cana, Dominican Republic, Teeth of the Dog, Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic, Four Seasons – Nevis, and Cinnamon Hill Ocean Course, Rose Hall Resort, Jamaica.

Fun Images

What does this image seem like to you? What a cool shot right?

Try your hand at guessing what people thought it was!

Our friend Cullen looked out his window one morning and what should he happen to see? A small, 8-10 foot boat cruising along in the Caribbean, with a true lady holding her "parasol" high in the air as the gentleman drove her around! It certainly brings to mind the good old-fashioned times. And makes us long for just such a drive!

UPDATE:

Re: Anonymous - you would think it was a whale shark; the girls who took the shot thought so too...but then, THIS happened! Can you believe it?! Driftwood! It made for an interesting morning though!